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European Union’s top court rules hijab can be banned at work, says ban not discriminatory and unlawful if it is part of a broader prohibition

OpIndia Staff
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European Union’s top court rules hijab can be banned at work, says ban not discriminatory and unlawful if it is part of a broader prohibition

Amid the ongoing controversy around the mandatory hijab in Iran and the ban on it in schools in Karnataka, the European Union’s (EU) top court on Thursday said that corporations and businesses may restrict the wearing of hijabs or headscarves as long as it is part of a broader prohibition. The Court was hearing a case relating to a Muslim lady who was notified that she could not wear a hijab when she applied for a six-week work internship at a Belgian company.

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) maintained that a general prohibition on a headscarf is not discriminatory against workers on religious grounds and does not violate EU law. According to the reports, the woman said that she was not allowed to wear a hijab when she applied for a traineeship program at a Belgian company.

However, the company stated that it has a neutrality rule under which all kinds of head coverings are banned inside its premises including hats, caps, or headscarves. The woman took her grievance to a Belgian court who eventually referred the case to the CJEU for clarification on the EU law. The top court ruled on October 13 that a general ban on hats and headwear does not violate EU law.

According to the CJEU, there should not be any direct discrimination in such a ban. “The internal rule of an undertaking prohibiting the visible wearing of religious, philosophical or spiritual signs does not constitute direct discrimination if it is applied to all workers in a general and undifferentiated way”, the judges were quoted. However, now the Belgian court has to decide whether the ban constitutes indirect discrimination.

Notably, last year, the CJEU had ruled that EU companies could prohibit their employees from wearing headscarves under specific situations if they were required to portray a neutral image to clients. There are many countries including France, Germany and Netherlands who have imposed ban on hijab in public places or in schools and other educational institutions.

France was the first European country to prohibit the niqab and burqa from being donned in public places. Meanwhile, in Germany, the question of hijab ban mostly affects aspiring teachers in public schools and trainee judges. Niqabs and burqas are also prohibited in schools, hospitals, and public transportation in the Netherlands.

The recent decision by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) came amid the ongoing controversy in India around the hijab ban in Karnataka educational institutions. Yesterday, the two-judge bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia of the Supreme Court of India delivered a split verdict on the Karnataka hijab case. While Justice Gupta upheld the ban on Hijab in education institutes and dismissed the appeals challenging the Karnataka High Court order, Justice Dhulia allowed it.

Justice Hemant Gupta upheld the ban by dismissing the 26 appeals filed against the judgment of the Karnataka High Court which held that hijab was not an essential practice of Islam and allowed the ban on wearing headscarves in educational institutions in the State. Meanwhile, Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, expressed “divergence in opinion.” He set aside the Karnataka High Court judgment and held that the entire concept of essential religious practice was not essential to the dispute. Owing to this difference of opinion, the Supreme Court bench has placed the matter before the Chief Justice of India for ‘appropriate directions’.

On the other hand, millions of young women in Iran are protesting against the mandatory hijab rule in the Islamic nation, following the killing of Mahsa Amini by the police after she was detained for wearing hijab improperly. While the protests have spread to the entire nation, around 200 people have been killed in brutal police action to contain the protests, including several children.

Russia gives green signal to NIA to interrogate ISIS terrorist, trained in Turkey, who wanted to kill prominent Indian leader over Nupur Sharma remarks

OpIndia Staff
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Russia gives green signal to NIA to interrogate ISIS terrorist, trained in Turkey, who wanted to kill prominent Indian leader over Nupur Sharma remarks

Two months after the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia nabbed an ISIS suicide bomber, it has now given nod to India’s request to interrogate the terrorist.

As per reports, the ISIS terrorist was identified as 30-year-old Mashrabkon Azamov. The FSB had informed that the Uzbekistan-born Islamist had undergone training in Turkey for 3 months and was tasked to assassinate an important Indian leader to avenge alleged blasphemous remarks by Nupur Sharma.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Indian counter-terrorism task force, will now visit Moscow and gather information about the larger conspiracy to orchestrate terror attacks in India.

The central agency will also probe possible Indian links, tasked to provide explosives, and logistics to the ISIS terrorist. The NIA had earlier requested the Russian authorities to share the interrogation report of Mashrabkon Azamov.

Reportedly, NIA will further investigate the source of radicalisation against India in Turkey, which is a close ally of Pakistan.

Russia alerts India about possible ISIS terror attack

In August this year, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation detained Mashrabkon Azamov, who had planned to carry out suicide bombing attack against one of the ‘representatives of the ruling circles of India’.

It also confirmed that the detained terrorist was recruited by one of the ISIS leaders as a suicide bomber in Turkey. He, as per the statement, visited Turkey between April and June, 2022. Russian authorities had also released a short video of the unnamed terrorist.

“They processed it remotely using Telegram and at personal meetings in Istanbul. As a result, the terrorist took an oath of allegiance to the Amir of IS. After that, he was given the task of leaving for Russia, completing the necessary documents and flying to India to commit a high-profile terrorist act,” the FSB added.

Earlier, the terror outfit Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) had released a 10-minute video about India and the ex-BJP spokesperson in June this year. Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) is an affiliate of ISIS that functions in South East Asia and Central Asia.

In the video titled, ‘The polytheists are the brothers of the polytheists’, the Islamic terror organisation has threatened to attack Hindus over the ongoing blasphemy row and demolition of a part of a mosque in the Jahangirpuri area of Delhi.

The terror organisation had also threatened to conduct attacks against India wherever possible. 

Rajasthan: Two policemen deployed for the security of chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s hoarding in Jaipur

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Two policemen deployed for the security of chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s hoarding in Jaipur

The Rajasthan government has deployed two policemen to protect the chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s hoarding displayed at a major square in the state capital Jaipur. It is notable that the state police have failed to maintain the law and order situation in the state in the recent past. Against this backdrop, deploying two policemen to the security of the hoarding is seen as a waste of resources at a time when police are not providing security to citizens in the state who are under threat and need it the most.

Police are bound to be deployed in the security of CM, but there is such a place in Jaipur, where hoardings of CM Ashok Gehlot have also got police protection. This hoarding has been put up at Gandhi Circle. Two policemen of Gandhinagar police station are deployed round the clock just to secure these hoardings.

Even if someone hovers around this hoarding, these policemen start questioning. These policemen sit on the pavement with a chair just in front of the hoarding. Sometimes women police are also engaged in shift-wise duty. Policemen are mostly posted in civil dress.

According to a report by Dainik Bhaskar, constable Krishna Yadav who was posted here on Thursday, 13th October 2022, said, “I am posted in Gandhinagar police station, now I am taking care of the security of CM’s hoardings.”

The Gandhi Nagar police station in-charge Nemichand said, “It is not any permanent posting of the police staff but they are just deployed in the security of the hoardings. By the way, it is government property and the responsibility for its security lies with the municipal corporation. Yet our policemen also protect it. Because here any random person sticks his own posters and hoardings at this place.”

Dr. Satish Poonia is the Rajasthan state unit’s president of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He tweeted, “Never in the history of Rajasthan have you seen such an insecure chief minister. Binod is also surprised to see this scene. How will crimes stop in the state if the Chief Minister is worried only about his poster?”

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya tweeted, “The Rajasthan government could not provide security to Kanhaiya Lal and due to which he was brutally murdered. But in the Congress government, the police are deployed 24 hours for the security of chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s hoardings. Is the safety of hoardings more important than the lives of the public?”

The police did not provide security to Kanhaiya Lal

It is notable that a Hindu tailor Kanhaiya Lal, who was beheaded on 28th June 2022 for supporting former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, had also asked for security about a week before his murder, but the Rajasthan police failed to provide him security. As a result, he was killed in an attack by Jihadis.

Kanhaiya Lal was receiving death threats from Jihadis after he shared a social media post supporting Nupur Sharma who was at that time in the middle of a controversy for having allegedly insulted the Prophet Muhammad during a TV debate. The police did not take cognizance of the request by Kanhaiya Lal and did not provide him with any security despite repeated death threats. Instead, the police advised him to stay at home for a few days. Now, this hoarding of chief minister Ashok Gehlot is secured by two policemen.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva hails the Indian economy as “a bright spot in a dark horizon”

OpIndia Staff
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IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva hails the Indian economy as “a bright spot in a dark horizon”

On Thursday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lauded India as “a bright spot in a dark horizon” owing to India’s fast-growing economy even in challenging times. India, according to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, deserves to be called a bright spot on this otherwise dark horizon because it has been a fast-growing economy even during these difficult times. “Most importantly, this growth is backed by structural reforms,” Georgieva said at a media briefing when asked about her expectations from India’s G20 presidency next year.

The top IMF official also hailed India’s digital economy on the sidelines of annual meetings of the Board of Governors of the IMF and the World Bank Group (WBG) in Washington DC. “The digital identity that provides all services and support on the basis of “digital access” is the remarkable success of digitalization in India,” Georgieva said.

Georgieva also asserted that India will leave a mark in the areas of digitalization and digital money. “We know that we need regulation of cryptocurrencies, more attention is needed on cross border payments, we are proposing public investments in the cross border payment platform infrastructure,” she added.

IMF’s Managing Director speaking about renewable energy said, “India has really leapfrogged in terms of solar and other forms of renewable energy. So I am looking forward to next year and I am sure that it would  make the people of India very proud.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Paolo Mauro, the Deputy Director of the Fiscal Affairs of India said that India’s digital cash transfer scheme and several other social welfare programs are a ‘logistical marvel’.

While addressing a Fiscal Monitor press conference, he asserted that there is a lot to learn from India. “From India, there is a lot to learn. If I look at the case of India, it is quite impressive,” he said.

Mauro underlined the sheer size of the country, saying it is a “logistical marvel” that several programs aimed at assisting low-income people reach hundreds of millions of people. He also highlighted that there are various welfare programs specially meant for women, the elderly, and farmers.

Notably, this praise for Indian economic growth comes as the country continues to maintain its position as the fastest-growing economy in the world despite lowered GDP growth projections.

“The outlook for India is for growth of 6.8 percent in 2022, a 0.6 percentage point downgrade since the July forecast, indicating a weaker-than-expected outturn in the second quarter (April-June) and more subdued external demand,” the IMF stated in the latest World Economic Outlook report.

The IMF projected 7.4 percent GDP growth for India in its July 2022 report. The IMF’s latest GDP growth projection for India is lower than the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) forecast of 7% for the fiscal year 2022-23.

Mominpur violence: Days after West Bengal police stopped BJP leaders from visiting the area, journalist arrested for sharing pictures and videos of the attack on Hindus

OpIndia Staff
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Mominpur violence: Days after West Bengal police stopped BJP leaders from visiting the area, journalist arrested for sharing pictures and videos of the attack on Hindus

The West Bengal police’s high-handedness in dealing with the October 9th anti-Hindu violence in Mominpur, where the Islamists orchestrated a targeted attack on the Hindu community, is on display once again. Days after the West Bengal police arrested BJP State President Sukanta Majumdar and some other BJP leaders while they were en route to the riot-hit area, a Kolkata-based journalist named Manab Guha has also been taken into custody, reports Aaj Tak.

The photojournalist’s alleged “crime” was that he dared to post footage and images of anti-Hindu violence on social media. Interestingly, West Bengal police justified their arbitrary action by claiming that such recordings could have generated additional hostility in society.

West Bengal police arrest BJP leader en route to Mominpur

It may be recalled that the West Bengal police had similarly detained the BJP leaders when they were on their way to Mominpur. Condemning the West Bengal police’s excesses at the behest of the Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, the BJP state president tweeted, “Shameful that West Bengal police under CM @MamataOfficial failed in protecting the Hindu brothers and sisters and when we are going to visit the violence-hit Mominpur, arrested me.”

Criticising the West Bengal government for pushing an anti-Hindu agenda in the state, the BJP state president had stated that it was ironic that the police were detaining innocent individuals rather than taking action against the TMC goons and radical elements notwithstanding their siege of police stations and attacks on police officers during the recent anti-Hindu violence in Mominpur.

The BJP president said that there was a major conspiracy being devised with the state administration’s help to convert West Bengal into West Bangladesh.

He asserted that in Muslim-majority areas like Mominpur and Iqbalpur, the TMC goons are helping radical Muslims commit crimes against Hindus in order to drive them out and encroach upon their land. He claimed that they were not allowed to even approach the area in order to prevent this conspiracy from being revealed to the people of the country.

Meanwhile, on 12th October 2022, the Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal DGP to form an SIT to investigate Mominpore violence and submit its report. The court has also asked the police to ensure that no further violence takes place.

OpIndia reported how Islamists vandalised bikes and shops belonging to Hindus at Maila Depot in Mominpore on Sunday (October 9) evening. OpIndia had learnt that the Hindus were targeted by Islamists for refusing to dismantle the Durga Puja pandals, ahead of the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad.

We also shared the ordeals of the Hindu victims who came under the vicious attack of Islamists on October 9, as they geared up to celebrate the annual Lakshmi Puja.

Telangana by-poll: BJP fields strong candidate, TRS employs all its might and how Congress vote bank may decide the gap between TRS and BJP

S. Sudhir Kumar
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Telangana by-poll: BJP fields strong candidate, TRS employs all its might and how Congress vote bank may decide the gap between TRS and BJP

In the 2018 Assembly elections in Telangana, the TRS party, led by KCR, won a whopping 88/119 seats. Despite winning a landslide, the TRS displayed an unusual urgency in poaching MLAs from the Congress party. The Congress won 19 seats in the 2018 elections, thereby being eligible for the Leader of the Opposition post. One by one, a total of 12 Congress MLAs were poached by the TRS within just a couple of months of winning this landslide. 1 MLA went on to become an MP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In this instance, with 2/3rd of the CLP joining the TRS, there was no need to disqualify the legislators.

KCR did NOT need these 12 MLAs for any support in the Assembly. This move, primarily orchestrated to show the supremacy of KTR, the newly anointed working President of the party, also ensured that there will officially be no leader of opposition in the Telangana Assembly. The torchbearers of democracy weren’t bothered by this blatant suppression of the people’s mandate though. But we divert, so let’s get back to the premise of this article. 

Out of the 6 MLAs who have stayed back with the Congress, the MLA from Munugodu constituency, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy recently resigned from the Congress party (and as an MLA) and joined the BJP. As expected, a by-poll has become necessary and that is now scheduled for November 3rd. The contest in Munugodu constituency in 2018 was primarily between the Congress party and the TRS. The BJP came a very distant 3rd and lost its deposit too. However, the BJP has picked up in Telangana ever since their debacle in the 2018 election.

In a record, The BJP won 4 Lok Sabha seats from Telangana in 2019 (KCR’s daughter was defeated in one of them; KCR’s son was in charge in another!). The BJP went on to defeat the TRS in the all-important GHMC elections (but TRS managed to capture power by allying with MIM post-elections). And then the BJP went on to defeat the TRS in the Dubbaka by-poll (right in the lion’s den!) and in the Huzurabad by-poll. Both these Assembly seats were held by the TRS earlier. 

Munugodu is different in that sense – the seat was held by Congress earlier. This is not the first seat that is going to by-polls where Congress was holding the seat. The then TPCC President, Uttam Kumar Reddy vacated his Huzurnagar assembly seat after getting elected to the Lok Sabha. The TRS won that by-poll. The situation of the Congress party was so bad that they couldn’t win the seat that their own state President won! 

The situation of the Congress party is no different now. In fact, Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo yatra is in going to be in Telangana during the by-poll. If Rahul Gandhi is in Telangana, that means the entire top leadership of the Congress will just be running behind him only, leaving the hapless candidate to fend for herself in Munugodu! We still have 3 weeks to go for the elections and the Congress election campaign is at its peak now. News outlets like The Hindu have already told us that there are “impressive crowds” for Congress meetings – a phrase they never use for BJP even when BJP wins so many elections! With the Congress campaigning bound to taper down from next week onwards, the fight between TRS and BJP will only intensify. 

A clear indication of how strong a fight the BJP is putting up with their candidate, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, is evident from the fact that the TRS has deployed their entire might for this by-poll. KCR has asked 86 of his MLAs to be stationed in the constituency only. This includes all of his ministers. In fact, to show himself as an example of “leading from the front”, KCR himself is in charge of one village in the Munugodu constituency for the by-poll! Just 10 days back, KCR announced the name change of his party from TRS to BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi) to reflect his “national” ambitions. That a “national” leader finds it necessary to be in charge of a village in a by-poll, speaks volumes about the nature of the fight ahead! The TRS is clearly rattled by the strength of the BJP. 

The strength of the BJP lies in two factors – first is the candidate himself. Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy. He is the younger one of the famous “Komatireddy Brothers”! The elder one, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy is an MP from the Congress party (and has been with the Congress for many decades). Rahul Gandhi has been very successful in isolating this powerful Congress family away from the Congress party, adding to his list of sterling achievements! The Komatireddy brothers also own industries that generate direct employment for thousands of families in this area. The goodwill they enjoy and the money power they can deploy if needed are definitely a very good advantage for the BJP.  The second factor for BJP is its increased cadre strength and participation from across the state. The BJP is also putting up their entire might – central ministers will campaign; all state office bearers are stationed in Munugodu to carry out door-to-door campaigning. 

The Congress will still have a vote bank that may end up being the deciding factor in the gap between the TRS and the BJP. An exciting 3 weeks lies ahead for the politics in Telangana. November 6th will definitely alter the course of the political debate in the state. 

32 Muslims, who had attacked Hindus in Sultanpur during Durga Puja arrested, Maulana starts crying victim as DGP asks for report: Details

OpIndia Staff
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32 Muslims, who had attacked Hindus in Sultanpur during Durga Puja arrested, Maulana starts crying victim as DGP asks for report: Details

Days after police arrested a few people involved in the Sultanpur violence, which erupted on October 10 after Muslims objected to music played by a DJ during a Durga Puja immersion ceremony in the Baldirai district, the accused have begun to play the victim. According to reports, after the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) requested a report on the violence, a Muslim cleric claimed that police were taking action only against the Muslim side.

Reportedly a delegation led by Maulana Mehatrul Islam met the district magistrate of Sultanpur on Wednesday, October 12 and decried the fact that those arrested in the case were mostly Muslims. The police, however, confirmed that the arrests have been made based on the CCTV footage and video clips of the incident.

Superintendent of Police, Sultanpur, Somen Barma said, “On the basis of CCTV footage and video clips of the incident, 55 people have been identified of whom 32 have been arrested. The arrested persons include the principal and maulvi of a madrassa who had reportedly incited the mob to hurl stones at the procession.”

The officer said that the statements of local residents present there had also been recorded.

Based on the aforementioned evidence, the police charged the accused with an attempt to murder and registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Property Act, 2020.

Sultanpur violence

The incident dates back to October 10, 2022, when the Maa Bhagwati immersion procession began in Para Bazar town and progressed till near the Baba Junglenath Mahadev Temple. Because the procession was so long, it made its way around a nearby mosque. Following this, members from the mosque came out and demanded the procession to stop playing the songs. Upon this, individuals from both sides confronted each other, and an altercation ensued. Hundreds of people arrived within minutes, and the disagreement escalated into stone pelting, injuring numerous individuals and torching several vehicles. At least 20 people including police officers were injured in the clashes.

According to reports, the event was not random and appeared to be pre-planned, since hundreds of individuals assembled in minutes to disrupt the procession.

Hindu man forcibly converted to Islam in Karnataka, fed beef, and circumcised by ex-Congress Corporator Nayaz Pasha and 11 others: Full details

OpIndia Staff
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Hindu man forcibly converted to Islam in Karnataka, fed beef, and circumcised by ex-Congress Corporator Nayaz Pasha and 11 others: Full details

Five people have been arrested in Karnataka for forcibly converting a Hindu man to Islam. The arrested individuals have been identified as Ansar Pasha, a former Bengaluru Corporator from Congress, his brother Nayaz Pasha, Haaji Saab, Ataur Rehman, and Shoib. Two of the accused were arrested earlier, and the other three were arrested on Thursday. Nayaz Pasha was apprehended in Tamil Nadu. 

Police investigations reveal that Sridhar, who is from Mandya, was initially interested in converting to Islam because he was lured with money. The accused had the circumcision ritual performed on Sridhar as well. Reportedly, the victim was also given Rs 50,000 by the accused. According to the police, Sridhar did not want to go any further after that, but the accused forced him to convert.

25-year-old Dalit man Sridhar has filed a complaint where he alleged that his name was changed to Mohammad Salman without his consent. Police have registered a case on 12 people based on Sridhar’s complaint and so far have arrested 5 people.

Ansar Pasha, a former Corporator from Banashankari ward, is reported to be a close aide to a city MLA. He was a Congress party Corporator and KS Layout resident.

Victim Sridhar revealed that the accused have formed a group named ‘Nava Muslims’ and people visiting from Iran and Iraq were introduced to the newly converted Muslims in order to attract funds from them, of course, to convert more non-Muslims into Islam. The group also has been working on the mission to convert India into an Islamic country, Firstpost reported.

Sridhar Gangadhar described his ordeal, saying, “I knew this person named Rehman for the past two and a half years.” I told him about my poor financial situation and the financial problems I was having. He then told me that he would take me to meet someone who could help me solve my problems.”

“He took me to Bengaluru’s Banashankari mosque and introduced me to Aziz Saab, who first disparaged Hindu gods and goddesses and then claimed that Allah is only one true god.”

He went on to say that he was taken to many mosques in Bengaluru, Tirupati, and other nearby places and forced to learn the Quran and pray in an Islamic manner.

Sridhar also stated that he was asked to drink some black liquid which made him unconscious. Upon gaining his senses back, Sridhar questioned what was done to him and the accused fearing that the victim might cause trouble, forcefully circumcised him, tormented him, and fed him beef.

After Sridhar resisted, the accused threatened him with a revolver and forced him to hold the weapon. After taking photos of him holding the weapon, the accused threatened to make his photo viral and label him a terrorist.

The victim also claimed that he was punched in the testicles and that a screwdriver was inserted into his anus until he started bleeding. He was also asked to convert three Hindus every year and was threatened that if he complained to the police he will be killed.

Sridhar also told that he lived in a Muslim-dominated locality and was thus, afraid of filing a police complaint. However, he later filed a complaint with the assistance of Bajrang Dal, in which 12 people were accused.

Punjab: FIR against beauty contest organisers for offering ‘Canadian NRI groom’ as the prize

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab: FIR against beauty contest organisers for offering ‘Canadian NRI groom’ as the prize

In Punjab’s Bathinda, the police have registered an FIR against organisers of a beauty contest for women. Posters of the beauty contest announced that the prize for the winning woman will be a ‘Canadian NRI groom’.

As per reports, the posters were brought to the police’s attention by BJP leader Sukhpal Singh Sra. Kotwali SHO informed that the two ‘organisers’ named Surinder Singh and Ram Dayal Singh have been arrested and an investigation is underway.

The police believe that the beauty contest was a ploy to trap gullible young women trying to emigrate to Canada. The poster announced that the contest is only for women from ‘general castes’, even the promised ‘NRI groom’ was mentioned as ‘general caste’. The event was scheduled to be held in a hotel on October 23.

A case under sections 501, 509 and 109 of the Indian Penal Code has been lodged against the event organisers.

It is notable here that in Punjab, there is a craze among the public to emigrate to Canada. Many cases of ‘abandoned brides’ and ‘abandoned grooms’ where people were duped of money after a sham marriage with the promise to go to Canada have been reported in recent years.

Rizwan Ashraf of Tehreek-e-Labbaik, who had crossed the border from Pakistan to kill Nupur Sharma, taken for a Narco test by agencies

OpIndia Staff
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Rizwan Ashraf of Tehreek-e-Labbaik, who had crossed the border from Pakistan to kill Nupur Sharma, taken for a Narco test by agencies

On Friday, the 22-year-old Pakistani named Rizwan Ashraf was taken to the Directorate of Forensic Sciences in Gandhinagar for a narco test. The military agencies have conducted his required medical and fitness tests and have prepared a questionnaire for Rizwan. The Islamist was arrested by the BSF after he crossed the international border to kill ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

According to the reports, the military officers brought Ashraf to Gandhinagar on Monday and conducted all the medical tests required to be executed before the narco test. The authorities have also finalized the set of questions to be asked to Ashraf during the narco test. His test is said to begin on Friday morning and will continue till agencies are satisfied.

The authorities had earlier taken permission from Sriganganagar Court for Rizwan’s narco test and performed all the required medical tests on him in the last four days. Ashraf was arrested on July 16 by the BSF from the Hindumalkot border outpost in the Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan and was put in the high-security jail at Ajmer.

He was then handed over to the Police but refused to speak even after the Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the Military Intelligence Agency interrogated him. Later, he confessed that he had crossed the international border to kill the ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for her alleged ‘blasphemous’ remarks against Prophet Mohammed.

Earlier, it was reported that Ashraf is a resident of Mandi Bahauddin of Punjab province in Pakistan and was apprehended on July 16 at around 11 pm. A patrolling squad discovered him in suspicious condition and he was subsequently nabbed and frisked right away. The security agencies also recovered an 11-inch long knife, religious texts, clothing, food, and sand in his belongings. According to the officers further, the accused intended to visit Ajmer Dargah first and then assassinate Nupur Sharma.

The Police also later revealed that Ashraf belonged to an Islamic extremist political party in Pakistan named Tehreek-e-Labbaik. He had been earlier arrested by the Pakistan Police for dismantling the statue of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh in August 2021. “Tehreek-e-Labbaik, a Pakistani organization has made plans to kill Nupur Sharma. Rizwan who is a Pakistani terrorist was also influenced by Tehreek-e-Labbaik. As per their plan, he wanted to enter India from across the border”, the Police had confirmed.

The controversy over Nupur Sharma’s comments during a TV debate has taken a horrible turn, with Sharma getting countless death threats and numerous others being attacked by Islamists simply for supporting her on social media. Islamists have already assassinated two people for extending their support to Nupur Sharma. Several other people have been threatened with death.

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